This section is intended to introduce the reader to aspects of art that may be related to various aspects of the present invention or present solution, which are described and/or claimed below. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present invention. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.
Liquids are dispensed in a seemingly endless number of contexts. In dispensing liquids, accuracy in measuring the amount of liquid needed in a particular context is desirable. One such context is in the restaurant and bar industry. In the restaurant and bar industry, the success and survival of the restaurant or bar is highly dependent on the sale of liquor. In many jurisdictions, restaurants and bars pay a substantial fee to government regulatory bodies for the right to sell beverages containing liquor. In order for the proprietors of those establishments to receive an adequate return on investment in the establishment and in the corresponding liquor license, it must operate at maximum profitability.
One such area where a restaurant or bar may realize a high volume of revenue is in the sale of cocktails. But selling many cocktails will not necessarily translate into high profits. In fact, operating a bar and serving offering cocktails to patrons may lend itself to financial loss. One example of how a restaurant or bar may incur such losses is in the dispensing of cocktails. While selling cocktails can be a profitable endeavor, over-dispensing liquor to customers can be fatal to business. In preparing cocktails, the recipe for preparing the cocktail must be closely followed. A part of any drink recipe is how much liquor to include in the drink. Traditionally, liquor is applied to a cocktail in a measurement known as a “shot”. A shot glass typically refers to a small glass or container that holds approximately 1.5 ounces of liquid. In many cocktail recipes, therefore, a “shot” of liquor refers to one full shot glass of liquor.
Most bars and restaurants use shot glasses in preparing a seemingly endless number of cocktails for customers. Many bars and restaurants use liquor pourers to assist in preparing cocktails. A liquor pourer is essentially a fitted spout that fits into the mouth of a liquor bottle. As most liquor bottles in the liquor industry have spouts of a standard size, liquor pourers are basically a one size fits all products.
The problem with available liquor pourers is that they provide the user with no ability to administer consistently a precise amount of liquor. In some instances, a bartender or user may forego use of a shot glass and simply “eyeball” the necessary amount of liquor to add to a cocktail. In other instances, the bartender may use a shot glass but not fill it properly and over-fill it causing spillage.
The problems caused by such inaccuracies are clear. On the one hand, if one bartender in an establishment that tends to pour less than a necessary amount of liquor in a drink, the drink may be weak or have a less then optimal taste, causing customer dissatisfaction and eventual loss of business. On the other hand, a bartender who tends to add too much liquor to a drink can also negatively impact the taste of the drink, causing customer dissatisfaction. In some circumstances, the dispensing of more than the prescribed amount of liquor may increase the enjoyment of the customer because he or she is given a strong drink. One problem with providing too much liquor to the drink, however, is that it reduces the profit margin of the drink. In cases where a bar or restaurant may be visited by acquaintances of the bartended, the tendency may be for the bartender to be over-inclusive in the dispensing of alcohol. For the establishment owner who often has many urgent matters to tend to during the hours of operation, it is virtually impossible to monitor the amount of liquor administered by the staff. There is a need, therefore, for a dispensing device that provides consistent and repetitive administering of liquor.
While many restaurant and bar owners go to great expense to meet the demands of customers and create the most enjoyable experience possible, there are many inexpensive avenues for the bar or restaurant owner to further enhance the experience. Many of the accessories associated with a bar may be mundane, but nevertheless provide a platform to increase customer enjoyment. Liquor dispensing devices are one such example. Traditionally, liquor pourers are generic items that offer no distinctiveness in terms of the restaurant or bar in which they are used or in expressing the interests of customers. What is needed is a dispensing device that is presents a cost-effective platform for further aligning a restaurant or bars with the interests of its customers.